Who must be involved, who should be involved?

Participation of employee representatives

If you have a works or staff council in your company, it must be involved in the process. Specialists for occupational safety and health and company doctors must notify the works council of important matters of occupational safety and health and of accident prevention. They must inform it of the content of their proposals to the employer and advise him on request on matters of occupational safety and health and accident prevention. Co-operation with the works council is laid down as mandatory in section 9 of the Occupational Safety Act.

Participation of workers

Only someone who knows the main hazards in his company can take effective protection measures. Use your workers' knowledge and their special workplace experience and involve them actively at an early stage in all phases of the risk assessment. By involving your workers in occupational safety and health you will create the conditions for their really fulfilling their duties according to section 15 Occupational Safety and Health Act and their special support obligations according to section 16 Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Create an open and constructive atmosphere for occupational safety and health problems in your establishment. Sensitise your workers by conducting employee surveys, group discussions or joint workplace visits.

By means of employee surveys it is possible for example, using anonymous questionnaires, to put questions on physical and mental workloads, on the work environment, on work organisation, on work satisfaction, on complaints, etc. Normally you will receive important indications as to how workers are being overstretched or not stretched enough, and similar hazards.

Five to twelve workers from a working area should be involved in a group meeting. Under the direction of a moderator they will determine the loads/exposures at their workplace and discuss the possible solutions for reducing them.

With the involvement of the workers you will create an understanding for safety-aware behaviour, create acceptance and ease the implementation of the measures.

Involvement of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee (ASA)

Involve the members of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee (ASA), if such a body exists, in the planning and implementation of the risk assessment. It will assist you in all matters of health protection and safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Committee is a body which comes under corporate occupational safety and health and is specified under section 11 of the Occupational Safety Act for companies with 20 employees or more.

The Occupational Safety and Health Committee should comprise the following members:

• company owner/employer or authorised representative
• specialists for occupational safety and health/safety engineers
• safety officers
• company doctor
• members of the works council/staff council
  The following may also be appointed:
• representative of disabled workers
• representative of young workers
• experts such as work psychologists, addiction officers, environmental officers or external consultants.

The ASA should meet at least four times a year.

In the study of the Specialist Committee for the Organisation of Occupational Safety and Health, you will find interesting indications as to under what conditions Occupational Safety and Health Committees work well. Here you will find numerous examples of "good practice" with respect to the work of Occupational Safety and Health Committees.